The present invention relates to devices for testing for the presence of micro-organisms.
At the present time, in order to determine whether or not a patient suffers from certain meladies, a physician will take a swab and apply it to an area of the body where the presence of micro-organisms is suspected, removing a smear from the suspected area and applying to a culture medium which is then incubated in a suitable incubator for a period of time so as to determine whether or not the suspected micro-organisms are indeed present. Thus, the physician will apply the swab to the ear, nose, throat, vagina, or the like, and will then apply a smear to the culture medium which is normally supported in a suitable dish. After the smear is applied to the surface of the culture medium, the dish with the medium is placed in the incubator, and after a given incubation period at a predetermined temperature the culture medium is inspected to determine whether or not there has been growth of the suspected micro-organisms.
Thus, with the above conventional procedures it is essential to carry out the steps of applying the swab to the area which is suspect, transferring a smear to the culture medium, and an incubator is required to receive the culture medium.
These procedures are relatively involved, create a certain amount of discomfort to the patient, and require the use of equipment such as an incubator. Very often a physician does not have an incubator available for his own use and must send the swab with the smear thereon to a laboratory where the incubation is carried out. The laboratory will then inform the physician of the result of the incubation.
In addition to the disadvantages resulting from the time and inconvenience as well as the equipment required for the above conventional procedures, there is always the possibility that an incorrect diagnosis is made. For example, it may happen that the micro-organisms are thriving in the body of a patient whereas in the transfer of the smear to the culture medium and in the incubation thereof the conditions for growth of the micro-organisms are different from that which prevails in the body, so that even though a negative result is indicated after incubation, nevertheless micro-organisms may still be present unknown to the physician because the conditions for growth in the incubator are not the same as in the body and improper diagnosis results. Moreover, because of the delay encountered with the above procedures it often is not possible to treat a patient as soon as is desirable. The result is that for safety purposes patients will sometimes be treated for diseases whch they actually do not have.